Salt Workers Protest Proposed Shipbuilding Yard Near Thoothukudi
More than 100 salt producers and workers in Thoothukudi staged a black flag protest in the salt pans at Kovalam near Mullaikadu on Monday. They were opposing the proposed shipbuilding yard project and demanding that the Centre and Tamil Nadu government shift it to an alternative location.
Threat to Traditional Industry and Livelihoods
The protesters, carrying black flags, argued that the shipbuilding yard project would pose a threat to the traditional salt-making industry and the livelihoods of thousands of workers in the region. Around 20,000 men and women are involved in salt production in Mullaikadu, Kovalam, and Pullaveli. Additionally, fishing communities along the Kovalam coast rely on the area for their livelihoods.
They claimed that approximately 3,000 acres in Mullaikadu, Kovalam, Pullaveli, and neighboring areas have been acquired for the proposed shipbuilding yard project through Sipcot. The protesters highlighted that converting the salt-producing belt for the industrial project would lead to the destruction of existing salt pans and have a negative impact on fishing activities.
Call for Relocation and Intensified Agitation
Various groups, including small-scale salt producers, salt pan workers, fishermen, farmers, traders, and political party representatives, have been actively opposing the project through a series of protests. They have urged the governments to abandon the proposed site and relocate the shipbuilding yard to a different location that does not affect traditional livelihoods.
The protesters have issued a warning, stating that they will escalate their agitation, which may include laying siege to the Secretariat in Chennai if the project is not relocated. They have also demanded an immediate announcement in the Assembly by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay regarding the relocation of the proposed shipbuilding yard.
The ongoing protest highlights the concerns of the local community regarding the potential impact of industrial projects on their traditional way of life and livelihoods.
